Posing

A rare portrait assignment for Jon here. This was agreed to be the best one. I suppose on short notice its not bad. I like it because it is more technically correct than the others. But, it drives me mad not to have an intriguing back-round. She, Angie, seems out of place next to this non-descript hedge. Perhaps I'll get a second chance to spruce up the total scene. Probably not. Enjoy, jon

Street Bazaar

We don't normally have street bazaar's here in Milwaukee. Especially not on an industrial road marked by this ones unique geography. This side of the street has a bike path, the other train tracks. This side, a cement silo owned by LaFarge, the other a silo owned by Lonestar. The bazaar is also bisected by a freeway bridge about 60 feet above ground. It is also on property that was once a boatyard (before new freeway work ended that endeavor). The long way, on one end is a coal fired power plant. And on the other, the reason for the bizarre bazaar is the new Harley Davidson museum. Enjoy, jon

Bird Art

This vinyl bird is to remind us the connection between man and nature, and that we should remember to be caretakers of our environment instead of mere takers. Or, as I thought first, some kid hucked a piece of junk into a tree 'cause it was funny. Maybe the lady who created this art "installation" is just a kid. Then we can have the best of both worlds. Trash in tree = funny, statement of environment = poignant. Actually, these two concepts aren't as mutually exclusive as I originally thought. Enjoy, jon

A Little Blue

A little blue. A small error in what is called white balance. In my current state of camera knowledge, white balance is the bane of my existence. I understand it in concept, but always forget to adjust it back if I take it off of auto. I may switch over to raw images, uncompressed, but they are 10 MB apiece. Whoa. Plus, I would have to use software to convert them back into the ever-present .jpg. The upside, I wouldn't have to worry about white balance as much. I'll probably stick with .jpg until I become a real camera freak. Enjoy, jon

Perhaps Tea?

Just after a nice tasty calming tea.  That is the look I associate with this statue.  I suppose there may be any sort of calming moments which bring about the same facial expression.  But, all I can think of is when I have a fantastic cup of tea.  When it comes a little too hot, I sit there, sniff, let my olfactory cells blossom with the enlightening heat and fragrance.  Meditating, enjoying, involved completely in the tea.  Of course, that is just me.  Enjoy, jon

Vegas Sushi

The sign was action packed, with its faux animation chopping and tossing of little shrimpies.  Now that I think of it, offensive stereotype man never chops the shrimp.  He just errantly waves around a knife and flips them with what appears to be a broken fork of some sort.  The shrimp rotate endlessly without ever being cut.  Not even an attempt at realism in this faux animation.  If I can't have suspension of disbelief, why should I even bother to watch?  Wait, maybe its a bad stoner move.  Ah, all makes sense know.... pointless, bad stereotypes, and no suspension of disbelief.  Enjoy, jon

Golden Wall

A little bit of wall, a little bit of sunset, apply shadows liberally, ta-da. Golden wall. This guy lacks a good focus, but the warmth of the brick draws me in. Enjoy, jon

Chandelier

I like chandeliers. I do not like dragging out my tripod. Though I should have, dragged out my tripod, to get a better picture on this one, that makes me feel like an ass. I drag the damn thing, the tripod, just about everywhere and rarely use it. Perhaps I should get used to being not only the jackass with the big camera stopping every twenty feet, but also the real ass who puts a roadblock of a tripod in everyone's path. Enjoy, jon.

Post-Industrial Land

Quite a bit of this in our town. Empty lots, abandoned train tracks. Though, the signs of growth are also there. Apartments out of warehouses and condo's out of factories. Also of note, right next to the water tower now exits a stunning Harley Davidson Museum, woo-hoo! Maybe post-industrial isn't so bad. Enjoy, jon

France by Another Name

And that name is Quebec. The speak French, they act French, they even smell French. Well, maybe not smell French. Why fly over the Atlantic when mini-France is only a 12 hour drive away? I wouldn't, and neither should you. Visit Quebec! Enjoy, jon

Crown Vetch

Unfortunately this stunning little guy is a European invader. Fortunately, it is a nitrogen fixer out there making better soil. Regardless, I think it is a handsome looking flower. Enjoy, jon

Glass Fantastic

More Chihuly for you. Oh, that crazy one eyed pirate bastard. Brought to you today by the City Center Sales office in Las Vegas. Outrageous. Maybe someday I'll have a Chihuly. Though, I would be afraid the police would eventually catch me. Enjoy, jon

Really Big Cloud

Really little boat. See him down there, right at the lead end of this cool cumulous cloud? I find it amazing that these puff balls poof from every part except at the bottom. What up! Does isometric pressure really matter that much? Can water not condense and freeze about tiny particles below some imaginary cloud shelf? Amazing. Enjoy, jon

Minesweeper

But a real one. Wouldn't it be fun to play battleship with real battleships? Well, automated battleships. People dying in war isn't so much fun. Maybe not even automated. Just think how much time effort and care goes into building one of these, then to waste it all for a silly game. What a shame, what a shame. Enjoy, jon

Lil' Yachts

Doin' their lil' yacht thing. Super fun remote controlled boats. Two channel, one for steering one for sail trim. When you are driving a real size boat you can get a feel for how much water is moving past the rudder. This is very important, via the fact that boats don't turn when they aren't moving forward. Since you have no feel on a lil yacht you have a hard time gauging turns, tacks, and jybes. Eventually one figures how to get out of irons and move. Then comes the hard part, actually sailing well. Ugh. Enjoy, jon

Kissing Fish

And, if you look at the picture sideways they almost make a heart. Our little guy kissing his reflection is brought to us by the Shedd Aquarium. Enjoy, jon

Classic Car

Parked right around the corner. What a machine. Anyone would be proud to own a vehicle like this. Surprisingly good condition too. I should see if it's for sale. Enjoy, jon

Not a Fez

But it is a Turk's Cap. The Lilium superbum. Superbum. Really? Super... Bum. Personally, I didn't check out its bum, so I cannot tell you whether or not it is super. Enjoy, jon

Mini Barn

And red to! How exciting. I wonder if it has little mini horses (redundant), or mini cows, or mini chickens, or mini geese, and even a mini gander! How cool. Mini farmers and mini farmland and all! My favorite would be mini tractors to till the field. Or, this is just a tool-shed in someone's backyard. Whichever. Enjoy, jon

Do you think?

With the understanding that our buddy from Chicago here is a classic, let me ask you... Do you think anyone would allow a statue of a half naked teenage boy to be erected in the middle of a park frolicking in streams of water in our time? I don't think so. Also, not viewable in this crop, he may not even have what one would call 'pant' on. Maybe not even shorts. Oh yeah, he's straddling a large odd looking fish. Just a different time back then, a different time. Enjoy, jon

Volcanic Ridge

Volcanic ridge on the back side of Niseko-Hirafu. It's skiiable too! And boy howdy it was fun. Enjoy, jon

Quite the Library

What a fourth floor grand room! Giant Tiffany dome, wow. One of the most amazing glass pieces I have seen. I wish this photo wasn't the little bit of crooked, but that's all right. Brought to you by the Cultural Center of Chicago. Enjoy, jon

Cartoon Mushroom

Well, cartoonish. I think. In contrast to wealth of books and web-sites on wildflowers, I cannot find much useable information on mushrooms. I found an extremely in depth site, but it wasn't organized for my level of understanding. I.e., yellow, round, cartoony = X. So, I haven't been able to identify it. Wish I could, wish I could. Enjoy, jon

Lil' City

Though if it were proportional it would be HUGE! Imagine, projects style buildings extending far into space. Knocking down low hanging satellites, creating their own weather. A need for oxygen to be pumped all the way up there. Good thing they have giant buoys supplying inexhaustible wave power. I understand why people would want to be that high, considering the fact that plant leaves have grown as large as many small countries. Enjoy, jon

Purple Fringed

The purple fringed orchid. A wonderful spike orchid native to our Wisconsin swamps and shorelines. The mythically beautiful status of the name orchid always makes me believe that these are rare and wonderful. Combined with the fact I have only seen this flower twice, right next to eachother, builds that belief. Enjoy, jon

It's art

The cultural center in Chicago had several interesting exhibits. Our bony friend here was an exhibit put on by a medical group. Full of art on body image and medical ailments it was stark, and sometimes creepy. Added to that fact was that we were the only ones wandering through made it a sometimes bizarre experience. Enjoy, jon

Smile!

Yeah Walls! Now that's a smile! You're really enjoying those "Twelve Foot Falls" in Marinette County, Wisconsin. Enjoy, jon